Yesterday, we addressed how God wants us to use this time to reasses our lives. Today, we will talk about the second thing God is using these events to teach us.
God wants to teach us to be thankful for the small things in life. Our health, our homes, our jobs, our friends, our families, our vehicles, etc.
He wants us to stop taking these things for granted and recognize them as the blessings that they are.
Now, I know that it is very easy to take these tiny miracles for granted. It’s only human to do so.
I couldn’t help but think about all the homeless during this time. They are afraid to go to the shelters lest they contact the Coronavirus. They are on the streets with no where to go.
While I have a place to live. So I must give thanks for it.
I think of all those in the nursing homes or shut in at home all alone. Most have no one to visit them or are forgotten by there families. And that’s on a “normal” day. Now even those who get visitors are getting any.
They sit there day after day, feeling loney and unwanted. Adn now because of these events, we now how they feel.
While we have family and friends that check up on us. I know that I am thankful for them now more than ever. And I’m sure that you are as well.
Its been said that a true friend is an angel sent to you from the LORD. And I truely believe that.
I think of those sitting in the hospital or in hospice that are sick or waiting to die. How hopeless they must feel. How much they would give to be healthy and to have more time to do what they’ve always wanted to do. More time to spend withtheir families.
And I have my health, overall, and have the time and strength to do all that God put it into my heart to do. Adn to do the things that I’ve always wanted to go, LORD willing.
When you think of it, when we sleep, we are a hairline from death. It’s a miracle that we wake up and “come back to life” every morning.
Here’s a hard one to be thankful for, our jobs. I know from experence how hard it is to be thankful for your jobh day in and day out. I know how easy it is to get frustrated with it and complain about everything that is wrong with it and about your “annoying” coworkers and bosses.
But these are the people God ahs placed into your life to miinister to and encourage. And the place that God has put you in to glorify His name and to be a light to.
And now after being stuck at home, how many of us are anxious and chopping at the bit to go back to work. Well, all of us “unessential workers” are anyway.
Think of all the “essential” workers that are stuck work working long greuling hours keeping people fed, taking care of, etc. Most of them unnoticed and unthanked.
We hear about all the doctors, nurses, nursing assistants, first responders, etc on the news everyday being thanked.
But what about the janitors, housekeepers, truckers, cashiers, stock people, factory workers, farmers, etc who work to put food on your tables, keep things clean and sanitized, provide the equipment needed, and keep society going?
How often are these people noticed and thanked? How often are they instead yeall at, blamed, and disrepected?
Without these people, the doctors, nurses, first responders, etc wouldn’t be able to do their jobs.
And I can tell you how thankful you who have a vehicle should be thankful that God has provided you with one.
I haven’t had a car in like seven months. It makies thinhs hard on a “normal” day. But can make it harder these days.
I say this not to gey your pity, but to get you thinking.
What am I saying? What is God saying?
We are saying that we need to stop taking the little things in life for granted and see them as the blessings that they are.
As it is written: Give thanks for all things. For this is the will of God for us in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
We need now more than ever to count our blessings and stop complaining aboit what we don’t have.
Not to mention the one thing we have to be thankful for – our salvation; that God lives within us and will never leave us or foresake us (Deuteronomy 31:6, Deuteronomy 31:8, Joshua 1:5)
It is also written: Give thank to the LORD. For He is good and His mercy endures forever (! Chronicles 16:34, 2 Chronicles 5:13, 2 Chronicles 7:6, 2
Chronicles 20:21, Ezra 3:11, Psalm 106:1, Psalm 107:1, Psalm 118:1, Psalm 118:29,Psalm 136:1-4)
Yes, we need to take our requests and needs before the LORD. But we must also give Him thanks for all the blessings that we enjoy each and every day.
So, what are you thankful for?